Brazilian delegation visits Army South, U.S. Southern Command

By Eric R. Lucero, U.S. Army South Public AffairsDecember 13, 2011

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1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Brazilian Lt. Gen. Paulo Humberto, the second deputy chief of the Brazilian army's land operations command, speaks with Maj. Gen. Simeon G. Trombitas, the commanding general for Army South, and Jonathan Stitt, the Brazilian desk officer at Army South... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Brig. Gen. Manuel Ortiz (right), the deputy commanding general for U.S. Army South, greets Brazilian Lt. Gen. Paulo Humberto, the second deputy chief of the Brazilian army's land operations command, as Maj. Gen. Simeon G. Trombitas, the commanding ge... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Simeon G. Trombitas, the commanding general for Army South, presents Brazilian Col. Álvaro Márcio Moreira Santos, the military assistant to the second deputy chief of the Brazilian army's land operations command, with a comman... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- (Dec. 9, 2011) Maj. Gen. Simeon G. Trombitas, the commanding general of U.S. Army South, hosted Brazilian Lt. Gen. Paulo Humberto, the second deputy chief of the Brazilian army's land operations command, and his delegation for a three-day visit to the Army South headquarters Dec. 7 -- 9.

While in the United States, the delegation also visited U.S. Southern Command and Special Operations Command South in Miami, and U.S. Army North here.

According to Brazilian Lt. Col. Washington Triani, the foreign liaison officer to Army South, "the main purpose of the trip was for the Brazilian army to gain a better understanding of how the U.S. Army plans and conducts operations and exercises as a joint command with interagency, intergovernmental and multinational organizations."

"We took the opportunity of the delegation being in town to open up more contact with Army South since we have a Brazilian foreign liaison here and, on behalf of the chief of staff of the Army, conduct annual Staff Talks with the Brazilian army," said Col. Brian McNaughton, U.S. Army South deputy commander for operations.

During the visit to Army South, the delegation received a command brief, and an update brief on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises, which include Beyond the Horizon and Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias, and Peacekeeping Operations -- Americas, an exercise that Brazil hosted in early 2011.

"The Brazilian congress is discussing a law to regulate how the armed forces can support civil authorities, such as other agencies and organizations concerning disaster relief," said Triani. "This visit is important because Brazil is going to host major events in the following years such as the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016 and the Brazilian army has to be prepared to work with other agencies."

According to Triani, Humberto and the rest of the Brazilian delegation had an outstanding impression of Army South. The visit was very productive and Humberto foresees the possibility of the Brazilian army increasing its participation in Army South exercises in order to enhance the Brazilian army's capability to work together with the U.S. Army and other partner nations.

"Mutual understanding is always enhanced when we can interact face-to-face," said McNaughton. "This is even more so when we have high-level general officer visits, individuals who are the key decision makers in security cooperation and partnership opportunities."

The next round of formal Staff Talks between the Brazilian army and U.S. Army South is scheduled for April 2012.